Of Feminine Hearts and Cocky Exteriors
by Pen Sil
Summary: Collection of drabbles. He's making her feel like a girl and it's not always something she enjoys.


**Of Feminine Hearts and Cocky Exteriors**

* * *

She kissed Mako only because she wanted to _prove_ to herself – and that damn'd Bolin, who had suggested it in the first place – that she was _not_ in love with him. Sure her chest ached whenever he smiled, which he did more now than when she had first met –

Suddenly he was kissing her back and her heart skipped a beat before sinking into her stomach. She'd forgotten that Mako wasn't someone who passed up on an opportunity on what he wanted and apparently what he wanted was –

She suddenly felt very feminine and very vulnerable, which was usually how he made her feel – she didn't necessarily like that. So she pulled away. His dark amber eyes met hers and they ever both breathing hard. The look in his eyes, though, sent her heart on another marathon.

Easily pulling out of his grip she threw her arms in the air with a sound that clearly expressed annoyance. Turning on her heal she started walking back to the port a long string of loud curses flowing in her wake.

* * *

"So… you look happy," Bolin commented, "did something good happen?"

A still smirking Mako dropped down on the couch and eyed his little brother's smile. "That all depends, Bo."

"Depends on what?"

"What did you bait her with?"

Bolin's smile widened. "So she finally caved, huh?" His brother rolled his eyes, but Bolin knew to take it as a yes. "Oh, you know… she's been drooling after you for months and she was arguing more with herself than with me so I just threw in a comment once in a while."

Mako's eyebrows rose considerably on his forehead. "And how did you know I'd respond positively?" his expression suddenly grew stern. "You know that if the team doesn't completely trust each other we won't be able to –"

His brother's laughter cut him off. "Oh, come on, Mako! You've been drooling more after her than she as after you! I wouldn't have done this is you two hadn't been so _slow_."

* * *

There was a gust of wind and suddenly the sound of their windows being forced open by a storm. Both brothers were out of bed immediately – one confused and one all ready to do what had to be done in a storm.

"Mako!" someone called. "Are you here?" then lower "I swear it was this room."

Rubbing his eyes the firebender forced down a yawn. What was she doing here? "What's wrong, Jinora? Did something happen?"

Her brown eyes are wide with worry and she doesn't even look at Bolin – though she has been crushing on him for some time. "She got home really late last night and wouldn't talk to anybody. It looked like she was seriously beaten up too."

_Shit._ He should have walked her to the ferry instead of forgetting the Equalists. Quickly grabbing his jacket he offered to come with her. "Thanks!" she exclaimed and hugs him. "I'm so relieved."

* * *

She has locked her door so no one will see her crying. She knew she'd been acting stupid all this time, but this was the worst thing that could have happened. Kissing Mako had distracted her too much and suddenly she had found herself surrounded. She wasn't even sure how she'd gotten away because suddenly everything had gone dark and when she woke the Equalists were lying on the ground completely beaten up.

She was pretty sure she knew what it was, of course; the avatar state. She _knew_ it took time and training to control it, but that didn't mean she liked this one bit.

Tenzin had been to check on her several times but she had blocked the door with a giant boulder of stone and wasn't letting anyone in. No one was allowed to see her this shaken up. Not even her parents had ever seen her without her confidence.

A rapping sound on her window startled her out of her reverie but before she could even remove her tears, let alone turn to see what was going on, someone kicked it open and landed on her bed beside her.

Jumping back she landed on the floor exhausted hands raised in defence. Had they found her…?

* * *

Jinora had helped him get to her window arguing that her father would throw a fit if Mako wanted to visit Korra in the middle of the night. As soon as he was inside, though, he quickly forgot about overprotecting teachers and noticed that her room only had slightly more things than theirs. A bed, Naga's saddle, a wardrobe and what looked like her parka on the floor. It was ripped to shreds, though, the same as her hair-accessories.

As soon as he landed she was out of her bed, her hands raised in a shaking defence. Her marine eyes were big with fright and her dark cheeks drowning in tears.

Letting a small fire appear in his hands he met her eyes. What had made her so frightened? "Korra," he said, his voice softening. Her eyes slowly moved to the flame before she visibly sighed in relief.

"Mako?" her voice was weak, shaky with tears.

The flame circled the room until it found a candle and he reached out to brush the tears away from her face. She didn't cry again, but her eyes were still wavering. "Who did this to you?"

Biting down on her lower lip for a moment she stubbornly avoided his gaze. "Who do you think?" she finally muttered, her voice was suddenly dark with resentment. "Amon's goons ambushed me and I barely got away."

His hand brushed her soft hair and she looked up at him in response. "You're safe now," he told her and pushed the free hair over her shoulder so it covered her back. Her lower lip wobbled and he smiled softly. "Come here."

* * *

It'd been quiet for the rest of the night and the family rose as if nothing had happened, probably expecting that Korra would come out and explain herself – Tenzin hoped she'd also apologize. What he didn't know was that she had company.

Luckily for both teenagers he allowed her to sleep in this morning. Not that he had much of a choice since the boulder in front of her door was still in place. It wasn't long though before the excited voice of Ikki travelled in through the open window and they both started stirring.

It wasn't the first time they'd woken up beside each other. Each time it seemed that they became more and more entangled. This time their legs were knotted together and Korra's face was pressed to Mako's chest close to his heart. His arms were wound tightly around her upper back, his fingers brushing her hair. It was the first time that they didn't jump away in surprise.

Instead she pressed her ear to his chest so she could hear his slow heartbeat. A wave of calm rushed over her and a lazy smile spread across her face. "'Morning."

His hand pulls over her tangled hair and he doesn't skip a beat demanding to know exactly what happened last night – and in detail, mind you.

* * *

Tenzin isn't pleased when it isn't Korra who walks purposefully up to him about an hour later. He isn't impressed either, by the young man's serious expression, but listens none the less. He's trying not to think about what this young firebender has done to his apprentice, but it soon turns out that Mako is only worried about Korra.

He's there to ask of the old airbender that she starts her more spiritual training. When Tenzin assures him that everything is going as planned Mako opens his eyes to the fact that it's going much faster than he expected. "She entered the avatar state last night, Master Tenzin," he says and the former avatar's son's eyes widen in surprise.

"Mako!" a female voice yells and Korra is beside them in a second. She's all clean and washed up. She has borrowed a hairband from Ikki, but instead of pulling it up in her usual warrior's wolftail she has bound it in a low one that doesn't hold all her hair. "Don't tell me you've already told him!"

"Of course, I did!" Mako replies, his voice sharp. In return he receives a sharp whack over the back of his head. "Ouch! I only did so because he's your sifu and he needs to know."

"You worry too much," she told him. "The solstice is only a few feet away and I can learn from Aang with no trouble."

"With you and Bolin around, I worry just enough," he snapped and for a moment forgot about Tenzin.

"Are you telling me I'm being reckless?"

"Yes! If you're killed in the avatar state the circle dies out! Amon will have won!" They're eyes meet both considerably annoyed with each other. He has hurt her pride and it pisses her off, but he is just worried and she's not sure how to handle that. Especially now that she has realized exactly what he is to her.

"Okay, you two," Tenzin sighs. "Pema has prepared breakfast and I'm sure you need to get ready for that big game tonight."

* * *

They didn't have an easy moment to themselves – to talk – again until after the game and after Bolin has insisted on dragging them to a pub. They're lucky that he soon finds a lady-friend and they quickly sneak off towards the harbour. She has airbending training in the morning and he has to do some training himself before she can arrive so they can train teamwork. They still need that.

He insisted on walking her back to the harbour where she will swim back to Tenzin's island. It was slightly annoying that he was so protective of her, but at the same time she felt happy that he'd go out of his way to worry about her.

They stop and watch the ferry move farther away from the small pot. It was alive with lights that shone brightly against the dark night sky and the golden water. They stand there for a long moment, looking at the sea and the ferry, before turning back to one another.

It was his turn to initiate the kiss this time, but she didn't mind. His burning hands traced her bare arms and once again she felt that wave of calm wash over her. It was warm and protective, something they both needed. They were, to begin with, active people, who didn't sit still much and so calm was not much they found often. He was still able to make her feel small and feminine and it worried her. She was supposed to be strong and confident and able to stand on her own two feet, but right now she wasn't even able to stand without his help.

* * *

Aang is a very positive and amusing character when she met him. He has taken the form of a twelve-year-old and he was great fun, though, it was easy to tell that he was an airbender. At time he asked to Katara and his children and she answered him. She saw the longing in his eyes and her own future in him.

Another time he asked to her own friends and she knew – had been told by Zuko, the only time she had met him – that his friends had been his largest weakness. When she told him about Asami, Bolin and Mako he easily caught the softening expression that is a tell-tale for any avatar who is in love and he tells that she should trust this Mako with her feelings. With thousands of years of subconscious knowledge at her disposal her heart would only choose someone who would remain loyal no matter what.

"It doesn't matter if he is protective of you," he reminds her. "Katara was surprisingly protective of me, but so was I of her. You can't bear the weight of the world on your own. You're lifting it on your own, but you need people to lift you up, to support you. Friends are important, but someone closer is what I'd recommend, someone who'd never betray you."

* * *

It takes a few months before they're completely back in their comfort zones again. They were closer now, on a spiritual level, but more than that a physical level. They still argued and they still yelled at each other, they worried and laughed together. The negative aspects were there but the positive ones were growing in proportions.

The end of the tournament came and went and the fire ferrets lost the finale. They were rookies, it didn't matter. "We have next year," Bolin said. He still looked like he was pretty far down. "And the preliminaries start in two months. We'll work to pay rent until then."

"Sorry, guys," Korra sighed.

"Don't worry." Mako's strong hand landed on her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "Without you we would never have gotten this far."

She sighed and dipped her head to avoid his gaze. "But still…"

"You know what?" Bolin exclaimed. "Let's go out to celebrate anyway!"

His elder brother and the avatar exchanged a smile before agreeing.

* * *

It was only a few weeks later that Amon launched his most aggressive attack yet. And his target was the avatar. It wasn't directly but through several of her friends, even Ikki and Jinora had been caught.

Korra caught the bait but didn't completely step into the trap. Still… several came out hurt and people weren't happy that their icon had died. Amon had been killed in an explosion and maybe that was for the best, if they pulled the next part right.

That didn't mean no one was shaken up and the more she had seen the more her heart had been cut open. So Tenzin didn't even look twice when Mako pulled her with him towards his and Bolin's. Bolin, though, had had his leg damaged and was staying at the hospital, which they'd just left.

They stood looking at each other for a very long time. They were still quite shaken up and she knew that she wasn't the only one, who had, at some point, questioned if they would come back, life and bending intact. Now they stood, across from each other, completely safe. It was a weird feeling, not only because everything was now over. Amon was no more and they could work on working balance in the people once more. She wasn't completely sure how to do that yet, but she has her confidence and her friends so she knew she'd do fine.

At some point they collapse against each other. It has been too long since either has slept and both were exhausted. It didn't mean that they just fell over and went to sleep. Neither knew who broke the hug and made it something more and neither knew who first moved it to the bed.

* * *

It wasn't long after the balance between bender and non-bender had been restored. It wasn't a complete victory, but with time Korra had come to understand that all this was just another scar from the hundred-year war and she had used this to her advantage.

Now, though, she was back in her home tribe after scouring the world. She was here for one very specific reason and she would be returning to Republic City after a short week of ceremonies.

It would be the second avatar wedding in a row held on the South Pole and the people down there were celebrating the honour. Last time the wedding had been between a waterbender and an airbender, an important union in more ways than one. This time it was between a waterbender and a firebender, one of the most unusual and rare occurrences in the world.

Mako doesn't like weather at all, but he isn't complaining. He rarely complains at all. She can see it on his face, though, and it makes her laugh even harder when she throws a snowball at his face. It evaporated where it landed and he looked less amused than she has seen him since she first met him. She tries to keep a straight face, but is too happy to finally be home.

Luckily for him her parents and Katara suddenly appear making his face heat and his expression immediately turned humble. It was the first time he had met her parents and she knew he had been nervous about it for a while.

But both her parents welcomed him with open arms and warm smiles and she easily saw his face soften. Family was something he hadn't experienced in a long time so she's happy he can experience it here and soon create his own.

* * *

The ceremony was a quick one and Mako was happy for it. They were given a spare house for the night, though most men had their own by the time of their marriage, but since Mako and Korra were only visiting that was impossible. This had been supposed to be their first night together, but by the time of their marriage they've mapped each other's bodies a long time ago.

They woke on top of several layers of fur; she was curled against his chest, their inner fires keeping each other warm in a temperature that was otherwise too cold to sleep in in this manner. His hand started stroking her hair in a way that he has started to wake her up in a long time ago. "'Morning," he muttered and shifted under her.

"'Morning," she answered and yawned, stretching. "Feeling warm again?"

He turns and gathers her in his arms. "You bet," he grins lazily and kisses her in a way that makes her toes curl and her heart flutter. She has learnt to live with the way he makes her feel like a _girl_ – a woman – and she has long since forgiven him for it. "It's been a long ride," he comments, "but we're finally here."

A smirk crosses her lips and she lightly hits him on the shoulder. "And who was it that suggested this?"

"Your parents, if I'm not mistaken," he answers lightly. "I'd have asked eventually, anyway."

She snorted. "And I'd have declined if it wasn't because Tenzin probably wouldn't have let it rest."

"Whatever you say."

She finally allowed it to slide and hummed gently against his chest.

* * *

Finally done. I've been having some problem with the time in this because to me it's really just a bunch of drabbles and I usually like to write those in present tense. So please forgive me if the times aren't always perfect.

Anyways I wanted to write this because, yes, I know Korra seem very masculine and in many make Mako into the "girl" in their fics, but it annoys me. Why? Because underneath her layer of pride and cockiness Korra is very feminine and sometimes she looks at Mako with a light in her eyes that make me squeal with happiness because I was SO afraid that she was just all tough guy and not feminine at all. I DO know, though, that she wouldn't like it at all and she'd never admit it in a million years. She's the avatar and we better deal with that.

Now I'm done raving and ranting. I hope I hit their personalities and I hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
